Sternal stabilizer



Oct. 21, 1969 s. MISHKIN ET AL 3,473,528

STERNAL STABILIZER Filed April 20. 1966 INVENTORS 00M: Y Mae 40M 3,473,528 STERNAL STABILIZER Sidney Mishkin, 10 Wooley Lane, Great Neck, N.Y.

11023, and Robert E. Bidwell, 40 Florida St., Farmingdale, N.Y. 11735 Filed Apr. 20, 1966, Ser. No. 543,973 Int. Cl. A61f /04; A61b 17/08 11.5. Cl. 128-84 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The present invention relates generally to medical accessories, and more particularly to an improved traction device.

Currently known traction devices generally include support structure mounted on the bed of a patient or adjacent thereto and tie means, such as cable, cord or the like which is supported from the support structure and appropriately connected to the part of the anatomy of the patient which is to be maintained in traction. Despite improvements in individual structural features of such traction devices, even the most advanced model thereof is wholly inadequate for the treatment of many anatomical conditions which could benefit from being treated by being placed in traction. A prime example is an indented chest wall or sternum which is difficult in the first instance, to elevate or restore to a proper position and which thereafter cannot readily be maintained in traction with available traction devices. Not only is an indented sternum difiicult to restore to position, but even solving this problem, the patient must be thoroughly immobilized so as to eliminate the possibility of any movement of the patient relative to the stationary support structure of conventional traction devices. In addition to an indented sternum, cheek bone fractures, and fractures of the frontal part of the skull are further examples of bone structure which could benefically be treated by being maintained in traction, and which cannot be maintained in traction with conventional traction devices.

Broadly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a traction device overcoming the foregoing and other shortcomings of the prior art. Specifically, it is an object to provide a traction device which is specifically applicable for the treatment of an indented sternum and similar bone structure which is difiicult to engage and maintain in traction.

In accordance with an illustrative embodiment demonstrating objects and features of the present invention, there is provided a traction device for maintaining bone structure in traction. The device comprises a support structure adapted to be mounted on a patient and includes a. support member disposed in an elevated position overlying the bond structure. Thus, sutures are capable of being supported from the support member and in engagement with the bone structure to maintain the same in traction.

The above brief description, as well as further objects, features, and advantages of the present invention, will be more fully appreciated by reference to the following detailed description of a presently preferred, but nonethe less illustrative embodiment according to the present invention, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings:

nited States Patent 0 "ice FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a traction device demonstrating features of the present invention, with one end of its bridge construction being removed from its base section;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 1 but on a smaller scale, showing the traction device completely assembled and in a straddling position over the rib cage with sutures being trained over the bridge construction;

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view with portions of the bridge construction being broken away and sectioned and with the base sections being shown in broken-line view to better illustrate the adjustable features of the instant invention; and

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view with portions of the bridge construction being broken away and sectioned.

It should be understood that the instant invention is used for placing bone structure in traction and is capable of setting the bones of various portions of the human and animal anatomy. However, for the sake of a more clear understanding of the instant invention, the traction device will be described in terms of a sternal stabilizing unit used for setting the bones of the chest.

Referring now specifically to the drawings, there is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 a traction device generally designated by the reference numeral 10. The traction device 10 includes base members 12 having two individual platforms 14 which are capable of being mounted on the rib cage R, of a patient being operated on, as shown in FIG. 2. A bridge construction 16 is mounted on the base 12 in a position spaced apart from and laterally straddling the rib cage R.

The platforms 14 include a rigid slab section 18 which is of a generally rectangular shape and attached to a relatively soft, padded footing section 20 that is coextensive with the slab 18. The padded footing 20 serves to absorb the pressure imparted to the ribs of the patient when the traction device 10 is placed under traction. The platforms 14 are provided with a bearing support structure 22, which includes a pair of upright trunnions 24 that are spaced apart from each other. The trunnions 24 are mounted on the slab 18 in a rigid position by means of a pair of support arms 26 that engage the upper surface of the slab 18 and the outer surface of the trunnions 24. The platforms 14 are completed by the stub shafts 28 which are mounted on the inner surface of the trunnions 24 in a spaced apart and confronting position.

As best seen in FIG. 3 the bridge construction 16 includes a first support unit 30 and a second support unit 32 which are capable of being joined together and have a. generally L-shaped outer configuration. Since the support units 30 and 32 have an identical outer configuration, for the sake of clarity, it will suffice to describe the major components of only one such support unit in detail. Specifically, the first support unit 30 includes an up right strut 34 which is integrally formed with a cantilever arm 36 that laterally extends from the strut 34 at an angle which is substantially perpendicular thereto. The strut 34 is provided with a bearing opening 38 that communicates with a keyway slot 40 for mounting the bridge construction onto the support platforms 14. The keyway slot 40 is sized to easily slip over the stub shafts 28 to facilitate the positioning of the struts 34 on the stub shafts 28. The outer diameter of stub shafts 28 are slightly smaller than the inner diameter of bearing opening 38 for journalling the struts 34 on the stub shafts 28. Accordingly, by referring to FIG. 3, it can be appreciated that the provision of the stub shafts 28 and bearing open ing 38 enable the support platforms 14 to be rotated into the desired position in order to obtain proper position on either side of the rib cage R of the patient.

The cantilever arm 36 of the first support unit 30 is formed with an inner housing 42 which is sized to slidably receive the cantilever arm 36 of second support unit 32. A slot chamber 44 is also formed in the second support unit 32 for housing part of the adjustment mechanism for varying the length of span of bridge construction 16. An adjustment mechanism generally designated 46, is provided for varying the span length of bridge construction 16 in accordance with the physical size of the individual patient. The adjustment mechanism 46 includes an internally threaded nut 48 which is force-fitted on a recessed shoulder 50 which is formed on the end of the second support unit 32. For threadably engaging the nut 48, an externally threaded, elongated shaft 52 is journalled on the upper end of the strut 34 of first support unit 30. The shaft 52 is provided with an externally threaded section 54 which extends substantially along the entire length of cantilever arm 36, and smooth shaft section 56 which is joumalled in a lateral through bore 58 that is formed in strut 34 of the first support unit 30. The lateral bore 58 is provided with a reduced inner diameter section slightly larger than the outer diameter of shaft section 56 to obtain the free rotation necessary for adjustment. Lateral movement of the shaft 56 in through bore 58 is prevented by providing a snap ring 60 which is force-fitted onto the threaded shaft section 54 against the end of lateral bore 58 proximate inner chamber 42, and by a set screw head 62 which is seated against the other end of lateral bore 58. An enlarged recess 64 which communicates with lateral bore 58 is formed to house the set screw head 62 in a concealed position so as not to interfere with the surgeon. Thus, it can be appreciated that by providing a handle or screw driver device it is possible to rotate the adjustment shaft 52 in either direction to threadably engage the nut 48, thereby laterally moving the second support unit 32 in and out of the inner housing 42. In this manner, it is possible to adjust the lateral span of the bridge construction 16, as desired.

A series of substantially parallel troughs 70 are formed on the upper surfaces of the support units 30 and 32. By referring to FIG. 3 it can be appreciated that individual sutures, designated S, can be positioned in the troughs 70 such that the sutures S can be trained over the bridge construction 16 for applying traction and properly positioning the bones which are being set by the surgeon.

From the foregoing description it will be appreciated that there has been provided in accordance with the present invention an exceptionally simple and highly reliable device for applying traction to the bones of the chest after they have been set by a surgeon. After all of the bones have been set, it is relatively easy to position the traction device over the rib cage R of the patient as .4 shown in FIG. 3. This is accomplished by first adjusting the overall span of the bridge construction 16 to conform to the lateral chest width of the individual patient, by rotating the adjustment mechanism 46. After the proper width of the span has been obtained, the support platforms 14 can then be placed on either side of the indented portion of the chest and the bridge construction can then be mounted on the stub shafts 28. With the bridge construction 16 laterally straddling the chest, it is then possible for the surgeon to attach one end of an individual length of suture S to a bone which has been set and then train the other loose end of the suture S over the support units 30 and 32 so as to be located in one of the troughs and then attach the loose end of the suture S to the bone on the other side of bridge construction 16.

A latitude of modification, change and substitution is intended in the foregoing disclosure and in some instances some features of the invention will be employed without a corresponding use of other features. Accordingly, it is appropriate that the appended claims be construed broadly and in a manner consistent with the spirit and scope of the invention herein.

What we claim is:

1. A traction device for maintaining bone structure in traction comprising a pair of base members and an interconnecting bridge including a pair of telescopic elements, means pivotally mounting said pair of telescopic elements on said base members, said base members adapted to be placed on a patient in spaced relation with the inter connecting bridge overlying bone structure to be placed in traction, and parallel troughs on each of said telescopic elements for receiving sutures to be attached to bone structure.

2. A tracton device according to claim 1 and further including an elongated screw interconnecting said telescopic elements for varying the length of span between said base members.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 6/1914 Petry 12885 4/1932 Anderson 128335 U.S. Cl. X.R. 

